Contagious

November 19, 2012
Faster-spreading than the flu are the ordinary conversations people have about products and ideas, according to this infectious treatise on viral marketing. Drawing on his own nifty research, Wharton marketing professor Berger investigates all manner of phenomena—surging name brands, chic restaurants, YouTube hits, most–e-mailed articles—that catch on through word-of-mouth popularity. There are discernible dynamics behind the apparent chaos of trendiness, he argues: we naturally want to talk about things that seem fashionable, secretive, useful, or remarkable, that arouse our emotions, that come to mind frequently in mundane settings, and that wrap themselves in compelling stories. He applies these principles to illuminate a slew of marketing and PR conundrums, explaining why a Philadelphia restaurant prospered by charging $100 for a cheese steak, why “Just Say No” ads may make kids say yes, why people sometimes pay more to get a discount, and why that Budweiser commercial featuring dudes saying “Wassup?” was a stroke of genius. Berger writes in a sprightly, charming style that deftly delineates the intersection of cognitive psychology and social behavior with an eye toward helping businesspeople and others spread their messages. The result is a useful and entertaining primer that diagnoses countless baffling pop culture epidemics. Agent: James Levine, Levine/Greenberg Agency.

January 1, 2013

Berger (marketing, Univ. of Penn.) informs and entertains while presenting his argument for why some products and ideas generate interest by word of mouth, and grow virally, and why others don't. Berger's writing is, in a sense, "contagious." This superbly written and thought-provoking book is hard to put down; the stories, especially those describing innovative social media campaigns, drawn from a variety of industries, are extremely engaging. Berger introduces six important "STEPPS" to ensure that products and ideas are "contagious": they must have Social Currency; must be Triggered, Emotional, Public, Practically Valuable; and can be told as a Story. VERDICT Readers don't need a business or marketing background to understand this text. The scientific data blend persuasively into the arguments. Highly recommended.--Caroline Geck, Camden Street School. Lib., Newark, NJ

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